“The last couple years I’ve been in
SCCA’s Solo Spec Coupe class, which
has been a riot,” he said, “It’s the same
cars that we’re driving [in the DirtFish
school] – I was excited that they have
rear-wheel-drive courses here.

“I think that any kind of motorsport
you do improves whatever other
motorsports you’re involved in,” Spratte
stated. “It’s a different experience, a
chance to play with some slip angle
and that kind of stuff. I can’t see getting
away with this much angle with what
we do [on the autocross course]
but given the number of wet events
we’ve had this season, maybe I will.”

IN CONTROL

(ABOVE) Finding
the limit, as well as
being able to hold
the car there and
bring it back upon
command, are useful
tools both on and
off the tarmac.

TAKING NEW SKILLS HOME

Most SCCA drivers are self-taught.

We learn the rules of racing in a
driver’s school or from a ride-along,
but comparatively few drivers receive
professional instruction in the interplay
of hands, feet, and eyes as we pilot a
car at speed. The truth is, many of us
have practiced our mistakes for years.

“I think when you take a schoollike Dirtfish and you go out there andyou drive on a road course after that,the car might slide a little bit but nowyou’re a lot more comfortable lettingthat go and you can carry some morespeed,” Caddell revealed. “It’s goodcar control, and you’re never going tobe afraid of the rain again. That’s thenumber one thing we really focus on, isgetting that car control for everybodyand getting them comfortable withsliding the car and going as fast asyou can with a sideways car.”Predictably, Gerber’s most valuablelessons were about car control.

“I’m getting to the point whereI can get the car to respond ondemand,” he said. “I’m planningthat I’m going to do something, andI can get the car to snap instead ofjust seeing what happens and thentrying to correct. It’s about beingproactive instead of reactive.”Asked if he recommends takinga DirtFish class, Gerber respondedwith a laugh, “Yes, as long as you’renot competing in my class.”Gerber wasn’t the only onelooking to discover more speed.

SCCA autocross competitor and
ProSolo Champion David Spratte
traveled to DirtFish from Raleigh,
N.C., for the one-day course.